September 29, 2017
Bulletin interne de l'Institut Pasteur
Using microfluidics to analyze the immune system
Single-cell analysis is an approach that enables scientists to examine the diversity of a cell population and identify any rare characteristics. It is particularly useful for immune system cells that produce antibodies during infection or after vaccination. Scientists from the Chemistry, Biology and Innovation laboratory (ESPCI Paris/CNRS) and the Antibodies in Therapy and Pathology Unit (Institut Pasteur/Inserm) have developed a method based on microfluidics that can be used for the rapid analysis of tens of thousands of single cells. This technique, which is both easy to use and suitable for industrial-scale production, enables them to test the functionality and affinity of the antibodies produced for each cell. This research could soon be applied to improve vaccines and monitor new vaccine trials, or to identify promising therapeutic antibodies more quickly. The results have been published online in the journal Nature Biotechnology.